


First Choice

by thenakednymph



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Heartbreak, Hugs, Lance (Voltron) Deserves Better, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 01:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18510904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: Lance was always Keith’s first choice.





	First Choice

**Author's Note:**

> I’m still angry. Lance deserves better.  
> Iwmys’s art gave me feels and this happened.  
> Also I’m in a mood today so have a thing.

“I just want to matter you know?” Lance paces back and forth in the hall where Keith had stumbled across him trying to hide his breaking heart.

“I just want to be somebody’s first choice.” His cheeks are wet, eyes bright and angry. “For fucking once.” Lance wipes at his eyes and Keith’s heart squeezes painfully. He curses himself for his cowardice and wishes he’d told Lance sooner.

As Lance paces back across the hall Keith steps in his way, bringing him to a stop with a hand to his wrist. Lance stares down at Keith’s fingers holding him there, watching as Keith’s thumb strokes over his knuckles.

He touches Lance’s cheek, wiping away his tears. If only taking the pain from his heart was so easy.

“I’m sorry.”

Keith dries tear after tear, swiping them away and feeling like he’s the cause of them, however indirectly. “I should have told you.” He looks up and meets Lance’s eyes, wet and hurt. Keith’s fingers are trembling where they hold his face. Here in the dark of the hall where they’re alone it’s easier. Secrets are always easier in the dark.

“You were always mine,” Keith whispers. He chokes on the words, half afraid Lance will pull away from him, that he’s just something Lance will settle for, that he deserves so much better than Keith. His fingers slip loose to grasp Lance’s hand.

“Always wanted you,” Keith rasps, still afraid. He swallows thickly, trying to get the words out. “Just didn’t know how to tell you.”

He drops his eyes, lowering the hand on Lance’s face but it’s trapped in long brown fingers. Keith hadn’t even realized he’d taken hold of it.

“Don’t want you to settle for me,” Keith mumbles.

Lance scowls. “‘m not settling.” He wipes angrily at his face. “God, who in their right mind would settle for you?”

Keith recoils like he’s been slapped, tearing his hand free. He’s shocked at the words and how much they hurt. He hadn’t expected Lance to want him back but to hear it put so plainly…

Keith picks up what remains of his heart before it can bleed out all over the floor, fumbling with it in his hands.

“Right. Sorry. I didn’t-” He turns around before the tears can overwhelm him and ducks his head behind his shoulders, hurrying down the hall. He has to swallow the desire to run.

It takes Lance a moment to realize what he’s said, why Keith had looked so hurt when he’d walked away and then he’s running after him.

“No! No, that’s not what I meant!” He grabs Keith's sleeves as he darts around in front of him, cutting off his retreat.

“I meant it’s impossible to _settle_ for you.” Lance emphasizes the word but Keith’s shoulder’s hitch higher around his ears, his hands curling.

“I get it,” he snaps, choking on the tears in his throat. “You don’t have to rub it in.”

“No you idiot.” Lance grabs Keith’s face and hauls it up, forcing their eyes to meet. “Fuck, I don’t know how else to say it.” Lance stamps his foot, frustrated. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and never thought I could have. You’re not a consolation prize to fill the space because I’m lonely.” He stares at Keith, willing him to understand, forcing the words out before Keith can brush him off, before he can run.

“God you’ve been this unattainable thing for so long, so far out of my reach. How could you possibly think you were anything other than the endgame? The goal?” Lance shakes his head, looking offended on Keith’s behalf. “Settlement my ass.” His thumbs stroke over Keith’s skin. “God, I could never settle for you,” he breathes, eyes darting back and forth. “You’re all I’ve ever wanted.”

Keith lets the sob that’s been lodged in his throat escape and crumples forward, falling into Lance who catches him with open arms. He presses one hand over Keith’s heart, looping the other around his shoulders, pressing kisses into his hair.

“I’m sorry,” he breathes into the dark strands. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He presses his palm against Keith’s chest, trying to soothe the pain even as he pulls him closer. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Keith shudders, clutching at Lance’s back as he cries into his shoulder.

“‘m so in love with you,” he chokes, equal parts terrified and relieved.

“I didn’t know.” Lance kisses the side of his head, his ear, his temple before lifting Keith’s head and thumbing away the tears. “I didn’t know.”

Keith nods. “Weren’t supposed to.” Lance’s face falls. “Didn’t think you’d want me back.”

“Stars, how could I not,” Lance whispers, sounding awed and Keith can’t look away.

No one's ever looked at him like that. Like he was loved and wanted and special. Like he was something precious to be treasured.

“God, I would give you my heart Kogane,” Lance whispers. “If only you’d ask.”

Keith drags in a breath, pulling at Lance’s shirt. “Then I’m asking.” He still can’t bring himself to say it, not really. “Because I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more,” he admits.

Lance presses into him and Keith pulls him closer, tipping their foreheads together as Lance closes his eyes, his mouth a breath away when he whispers,

“Then it’s yours.”


End file.
